01x14 - Pickle

[bunniefuu]

[Japanese theme music playing]

BAKI-DOU: THE INVINCIBLE SAMURAI

[singing in Japanese]

[music ends]

[narrator] The paleontologist,
Dr. Albert Payne,

made an emergency trip to Japan.

It's Pickle. I've no doubt about it.

What do you make of the giant creature?
The one that Pickle took as prey?

It seems giant to us,

but for Pickle,
I'm afraid it was nothing more

than a sitting duck
just waiting to be eaten.

If you're convinced it's Pickle,

how do you explain
his disappearance in the past?

How has he survived all of this time?

By living in the sewers.

Uh… the sewers?

[intriguing music playing]

[Payne] The extensive sewage systems
beneath a city as large as this one

are comparable to his jungle habitat.

There is a consistent flow
of warm water passing through,

and the temperature and humidity
are quite stable

regardless of the seasons above.

Exotic pets purchased on a whim
often grow far larger than expected

and become overwhelming for the owner.

And with no other options, they often turn
to discarding their pets in the sewers.

Animal cruelty? Hardly.

These creatures actually thrive
in those conditions.

Alligators.

Lizards.

Turtles.

Giant serpents.

Indeed, a vast number
of tropical creatures

call the tangled network
of underground Tokyo their home.

Now that we've confirmed
Pickle lives underground,

what's your suggestion
for the best course of action?

There is no need
to discuss or debate this.

That man is a unique specimen
in human history.

It should be plainly obvious.

He must be captured immediately.

[narrator] A suggestion
the government took seriously

as they issued an order to the police.

The department assembled
a unit of 91 riot officers.

Under Dr. Payne's direct orders,
as might be expected,

they prepared over five tons
of chloroform.

Pickle's last known location
was the focal point of the operation.

Within a radius of over half a mile,

they released the chloroform
into the sewers all at once.

It didn't take long

before the surrounding passageways
were filled with the gas.

[officers shouting orders at crowd]

[Yoshida] Yes, I can see him now.
It is Pickle!

It's the primitive man!

And I can confirm from experience,

this is the same man
that I saw the other day.

It's said he can k*ll a tiger
with his bare hands,

the fiercest fighter of the Cretaceous!

They're going to transport him, but where?

The authorities involved
remained firmly tight-lipped,

and seem unwilling to speak to the media.

[Nonomura sniffs] I've never smelled
anything like it.

He's a sewer-dwelling transient
who's almost seven feet tall.

It's not surprising at all
that he'd come with an odor.

Yes, of course.

You're right, sir. Sorry.

There's no need to apologize.

I must say, this is an amazing facility.

It is located 366 meters below Skytree,

which means
we're 1,000 meters from the apex.

It may not be officially recognized,
but I think it's the best in the world.

- [door opens]
- I have to agree.

- [Tokugawa] Apologies for the delay.
- [gasping]

Tokuga… [gasps]

Musashi Miyamoto! [whimpers]

- Oh, hello, Tokugawa.
- [chuckling]

[Nonomura] Huh?
They… they know each other?

[Tokugawa] Uh-huh.

So he's been hunting
in the sewers to survive?

That's very Pickle, isn't it?

Roaming through all those pipes
and canals…

Now he's king of the urban jungle.

You're strangely quiet, Musashi?

So he's famous? This primitive man?

Yes, in fact,
he's well-known all over the world.

According to some, he's known
as the strongest man on Earth.

Huh…

[all gasping loudly]

Musashi…

[tense music sting]

What?!

What in the hell
do you think you're doing, Musashi?

Why would you do that?!

Is he crazy?

Look at him.

I slapped him square in the face
with full force,

and yet, he's still asleep.

- Hmm…
- [wind blowing]

[slicing]

[all gasping]

Ah, now that's reassuring.

- [Pickle groaning]
- [all gasping]

[Musashi] That strike should have taken
his head clean off.

- But the blade was stopped.
- You mean you cut him?

He has the most impressive neck.

Once, in a display for the Shogun,
I cut through eight corpses in one slash.

My strength carried the blade
through six arms,

and even split the execution platform
in the process.

In my time, I was showered
with endless praise and acclaim.

I was on top of the world.

But here, in the modern era,

I was unable to sever
Yujiro Hanma's collarbone.

And now this man,

who managed to stop my blade
with the bone in his neck.

A veritable fortress of muscle.

[Tokugawa whimpering]

Pickle, was it? I think you understand,

It was me who cut you.

But I couldn't end your life…

[Pickle growling]

- [roaring]
- [dramatic music playing]

[Musashi grunts]

[Pickle growling]

[pained yelling]

[both gasping]

[gasping]

[growling]

He's quite the beast.
He might just make for a proper rival.

[Pickle snarling]

[roaring angrily]

[pained yelling]

[pained groaning]

[Musashi] Typically my sword slash can cut
through even the toughest armor with ease.

I sensed it the moment
the blade touched his skin.

There's something different
about the way his muscles respond.

My attacks can't penetrate deep enough
to reach his organs or bones.

Just look.

I was convinced
I'd dealt him serious wounds.

But all he's left with
are shallow bruises.

[narrator] In that moment,
Pickle recalled his past…

[dinosaur screeching]

…his world…

There, he'd often face prey
over a hundred times his weight.

Doubtless formidable foes all,

but among them,
one was particularly troublesome.

Small in stature, but fast,

and agile to boot.

But this creature's
most dangerous attribute

were the enormous claws on its hind legs.

- And Pickle knew them well.
- [growling]

[narrator] The T-Rex, while a predator,
was also known to scavenge.

But not this dinosaur.

It was only satisfied

with the most vigorous,
most ferocious prey.

[triceratops growling]

[narrator] Quarry so large and menacing

that it often put itself
in mortal danger in pursuit.

[Pickle] Hmm.

[narrator] The memories of this creature
came flooding back to Pickle.

Known as Deinonychus,
this man reminded him of that monster.

[music fades]

This is our testing lab.

After the clones' birth,
we test their motor functions here.

The floor is made of rubber,
and the walls duralumin.

They can hold nothing back in here.

Now wait a minute.

You can't be serious!

We have a scientific marvel
standing before us

in the form of a clone
of Musashi Miyamoto.

[all] Hmm?

And then we have Pickle,

a primitive man extracted from
a rock salt layer a half a mile thick!

He's said to have hunted dinosaurs
during the Cretaceous period.

He's nothing short
of a paleontological miracle!

Gentlemen, you are about to make
a grave mistake.

You stand to lose at least one,
if not both

of these scientifically
historical wonders!

Musashi Miyamoto or Pickle,
which of them is stronger?

Are you really willing to sacrifice
something so irreplaceable

to satisfy such a childish bit
of curiosity?

It's time for all of you to wake up!

Doctor, there's no need
to raise your voice.

I couldn't be more cogent.

We have two highly honored guests,

the mightiest warrior of the Cretaceous
and the world's greatest swordsman.

The swordsman wants to know
who of them is stronger,

while the warrior wants
to eat the swordsman.

I consider myself very lucky to be here.

If you have no interest in watching,

then may I suggest
that you see yourself out.

Let me be clear.

I will not allow anyone
to interfere with this experiment.

- [g*n c*ck]
- [Tokugawa gasps]

I suppose you were expecting
some logic-spouting old man

with no fangs to bite back with?

From the moment I heard
Tokugawa would be attending,

I was concerned.

Knowing what I know of you,

I was able to deduce
what you might be planning.

And it seems my hunch was correct.

As an envoy invited into the country
by the state,

customs didn't even bother
inspecting my luggage.

[dramatic music sting]

Now, let's all just calm down
and put an end to this silliness.

- Forget about this ridiculous fight.
- [bones crunching]

[Payne gasping painfully]

[dramatic music sting]

[slicing]

[pained gasping]

Is this a short-barreled g*n?

Like this, right?

- [uneasy music playing]
- [both gasping]

Whoa!

[both grunting fearfully]

Incredible accuracy,
and with less effort than a shuriken.

How frightening.

But it's not the way of the warrior.

All right, Pickle, now we're free
to fight without interference.

Don't I look tasty?

- [uneasy music playing]
- [Tokugawa] Heh…

[dramatic music sting]

Let's go!

[Payne] I was cut down.

Musashi Miyamoto…

Somehow, with his bare hand,

he slashed me into pieces.

I remember it all so vividly.

I could feel the cold blade
as it slid effortlessly through my skin.

It passed through each layer
of fat and muscle with ease,

and even split the sturdiest of bones.

Finally, it tore through
my internal organs

like a hot knife through butter.

Even though my head had been
cloven clear off, still I felt it.

I felt the warm blood
that gushed out in spurts,

painting the air like a crimson geyser.

I was dead.

I had been k*lled.

My brain knew it.

Hell, every single one of the 37 trillion
cells in my body knew it.

In that moment,
I was utterly and totally dead.

[Pickle growling]

[narrator] He was trying to gather
what wits he had,

trying to shake off this gaze,

and the immense power he felt behind it.

And the fact that this man reminded him
of one of his fiercest enemies.

He put it out of his head and attacked.

[Pickle snarling]

[slicing]

[pained groaning]

[Musashi] I'm still only hitting flesh.
I can't get through to the bones.

Who is this man?

- [Musashi grunts]
- [Pickle growling]

[Musashi] Hmm.

And still only flesh.

I don't see his organs spilling out.

Just what kind of man is this?

He's not at all like the other fighters.

How did he get like this?

What has this man been fighting?

- [people cheering]
- [tinkling]

Oh-h*-h*!

Well, look at this!

When I look at Pickle, I see

boisterous praise and rich rewards!

And no small amount. A king's ransom!

Now I understand.

You are no ordinary man.

You are monstrous.

A monstrous form that bears witness
to an extraordinary past.

You're a strong one, aren't you?

You're even stronger than I anticipated.

You should know
I'm pleased with your strength.

I'm thrilled with your notoriety.

And I'm elated by how
you came into your power.

Because, Pickle,
all this that makes you you,

I will take it all for myself.

[shocked gasping]

Hmm?

[Pickle growling]

[gasps]

[shocked gasp]

You have
a profoundly unique power, Pickle.

Are you just going to let me take it?

- [tense music playing]
- [Pickle snarling]

[narrator] In a bizarre coincidence,

both men shared the same thought
at the same time.

"I've got you now."

[both gasping]

They're locked in a show of strength.
Who will it be?

[bones crunching]

On the one hand, we have the grip strength

of the man who earned the title
of the strongest in the Cretaceous Period.

And on the other, the legendary grip

that can splinter whole st*lks
of fresh bamboo in an instant.

Which will prove stronger?

Oh!

The suspense is too much!

It's incredible!

- [Tokugawa] Which one is it?
- [Nonomura] Who's it gonna be?

[Pickle growling]

[narrator] Pickle thought,

"Have I ever been grabbed
like this before?"

Pickle was a ferocious hunter.

Grabbing was his day to day.

Gripping was a part of his everyday life.

Catching was his key to survival.

But now that he thought about it,
none of his prey could grab like this.

And with that, Pickle was convinced,

in the same way he had reverence
for his prey,

"This man," Pickle thought,

"is crazy about me!"

[pained grunt]

[Pickle grunting]

Now then…

Tokugawa, look at the wall!

The wall?

[dramatic music sting]

[Nonomura] It's been damaged.

The duralumin is almost a foot thick,
and yet it's dented.

And from that one move.

Any normal person
would've been k*lled by the pressure.

[Tokugawa] I suppose you're right.

[Nonomura] That truly is the body
of a legendary ancient warrior.

Tokugawa, I propose
that we should have a rematch.

What?!

[Musashi] My invisible sword…

I swung it numerous times, and yet,

this Fortress of Muscle, this Pickle,

he stopped every one of my strikes
with the power of his muscles.

I couldn't sever any bones
and his organs remained protected.

You've done well, Fortress of Muscle.

Now I want to try a real blade.

[air rushing]

[booming thud]

Again, I'm impressed with his strength.

Even a wild, unsaddled horse
couldn't buck me like that.

[all gasping]

However, had I been using a real sword
instead of my invisible one,

I'm not sure you would've had
the strength left to throw me like that.

[tense music playing]

[Musashi] Hmm.

Yes, I think he's right.

I doubt Pickle would have
much strength left at all

if Musashi were using his real sword.

- [intriguing music playing]
- [glinting]

Even if Pickle were able to stop
the blade's advance with his bones,

he'd still be wounded.

And even with his primitive body,
he wouldn't be able to stop the bleeding.

He'd bleed out and die before long.

I won't know for sure until I try.

[gasping]

Don't be foolish!

Don't you understand
what Pickle means to the world?

He's a piece of our heritage,
a treasure of history!

[gasping]

[pained grunting]

Your Western values are confusing.

But, man from the West,

you've no reason to fear the outcome.

[gasping]

[narrator] Values…

Their values may as well have been
on opposite sides of the universe.

The Nobel Prize-winning scientist,
Dr. Albert Payne,

was left speechless
by this vast difference

and could offer no rebuttal.

Oh by the way, Tokugawa,
I have a question for you.

My most precious blade,
is it still around somewhere?

[Tokugawa chuckles]

Mumei Kaneshige?

It is resting peacefully
in the province of Higo.

I want to show it to the world,
share its unparalleled sharpness.

[narrator] The next battle
had been decided.

Musashi versus Pickle. Weapons allowed.

[birds singing peacefully]

[slurping]

[satisfied sigh]

I knew you were lying.

All this talk about staying home,
thinking it over.

Your skin is tighter.
Your muscles have grown.

Even your fists have too.
You're just bigger than you were.

[Doppo chuckles, slurps]

Funny I should hear that coming from you.

Because if I'm not mistaken,
you've ramped up your training as well.

Kinda comforting, isn't it?

Two losers complimenting each other.

I don't have a problem with it.

If we can grow stronger from praise,
why not have a full buffet?

[both] Well, in any case…

[both gasp]

[Baki] We were about
to say the same thing.

[Doppo] It's about the match.

It won't be a sparring session.

At the end of this battle,
at least one of them will be dead.

It's not a test of strength,
but a battle to the death.

[Doppo] Uh-huh.

But fighting Pickle,
should that be allowed?

You fought him.
You faced Pickle in the ring.

Yeah. Damn right, I did.

Isn't that a little hypocritical?

It's acceptable for you to fight Pickle,
but not Musashi?

[Baki sighs]

Yeah, cause he's not serious.
He's shallow.

Oh?

[Baki sighs heavily]

Do you have to be serious?

Well, Baki?

Is purity required to be a fighter?

You know what? It's like
you're trying to sound like Musashi.

Huh?

Now I'm embarrassed. Don't say that.

Look, man, I just know what my dad said.

And he wasn't ashamed about it either.

Not good enough. Purity? Don't need it…
I want to be successful.

I want to be praised, applauded,
commended by everyone.

He said that? Really?

It's like he was finally himself.

[Doppo] Huh…

Hmm…

Listen, Baki,

when someone's desire
for praise and fame go that far…

Then it comes full circle?

[Doppo] Exactly.

That's precisely it, Baki.

If taken to the extreme, even chaos
begins to take on a semblance of order.

Uh… But, Doppo, are you sure?

He's a pure man. I have no doubt.

Uh… [shocked chuckle]

This just became a lot more interesting.

Pickle's body is built like a tank,
but he has the heart of an innocent child.

Then there's Musashi, who operates purely

on his unquenchable thirst
for worldly desires.

Baki, this match will be
a battle of purity.

[Baki chuckling]

[Japanese theme music playing]

[music fades out]